The new escalation of the "visa integrity fee" proposed by President Trump would raise the tourist visa from $250 to $435.
The approval of the One Big Beautiful Bill, promoted by President Donald Trump, the State Department, and the Department of Homeland Security, will significantly affect the Dominican Republic and its constant flow of travelers to various points in the United States.
In this Caribbean country, air tickets to the United States cost between $300 and $350 during regular seasons and reach up to $1,000 at Christmas.
In 2023, around 8.9 million passengers left the Dominican Republic for international destinations, 66% of them to North America (mainly the United States and Canada).
Added to Trump's new tariff is the increase in airport taxes that the Dominican government will apply from November 1, 2025, in order to finance the construction of a new terminal at the Las Américas International Airport (AILA).
The adjustment includes, among other charges, the baggage handling fee, which will increase from $3.32 to $3.50.
With the new provision, the World Travel & Tourism Council projects that international visitor spending in the U.S. will fall to $169 billion in 2025, down from $181 billion in 2024.
Dominican tourism at the close of 2025
The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) projects that, by the end of 2025, the travel and tourism sector in the Dominican Republic could reach a new all-time high, contributing more than $21 billion to the national GDP, representing 15.8% of the country's economy.
This projected growth, with a year-on-year increase of 3.3%, reflects the Dominican Republic's commitment to solid, sustainable, and resilient tourism development.
According to the latest Economic Impact Research (EIR), prepared by the WTTC in collaboration with Oxford Economics, the sector would employ almost 893 million workers this year, equivalent to 17.9% of the national workforce.
